Tea party darling Cruz favorite in US Senate race

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Ted Cruz's two-year campaign will finally come to an end as he attempts to become Texas' first Hispanic elected to the U.S. Senate.

Voters on Tuesday will choose between him and Democrat Paul Sadler to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Cruz won the GOP nomination by beating one of the state's most formidable establishment figures, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. Dewhurst didn't take Cruz seriously until he came in second in the Republican primary and forced a runoff. But by then it was too late and Cruz won handily.

Sadler stepped up after retired Lt. Gen Ricardo Sanchez dropped out. Yet Democrats did not turn out for Sadler, giving him less than $1 million in a state where a statewide campaign typically costs more than $6 million.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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